I can clearly remember one of the last times that I rode a roller coaster. What a ride it was! It was the Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme park in San Antonio. My family had worked hard for a fun vacation day at Six Flags and riding the Iron Rattler was one of the features of that day. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was probably well past my roller coaster comfort level by then. As I recall, there just didn’t seem to be enough safety harness to make me feel secure. I buckled the seat belt. I tucked under the shoulder harness until it clicked and tested it again and again. Then once the ride began, I still felt need to grab a hold of a rail in front of me. There were also probably a dozen additional safety measures protecting the ride as well that I didn’t think about at the time. But even with all this, I could still feel the bone-cracking shockwaves streaking through my body with each yank, jerk, and rattle of the ride.
It took a week to recover from the soreness. But after it ended, I couldn’t help appreciating that all of the safety measures held up and we were safe. But more than that, I treasured the look of joy on the faces of my family as evidence that, despite the twists and shakes of the ride, we had achieved our goal to have fun together that day.
As we transition from all that we experienced last year to the vast opportunities and possible challenges of 2024, I want you to know that I am excited to be on this journey with all of you. I can hardly wait to bear witness to the wonderful ways that the causes of Christ will be elevated and advanced in our collective mission field because of your faithfulness, resilience, and the unique gifts that each of you bring to the ministry. I also treasure the assurance that as we journey together in our efforts to share God’s grace with the world, God will be with us, to assist us to overcome any ups, downs, or bumps in the road as we progress toward fulfillment of our greater mission.
Scripture gives us many wonderful assurances of ways that God will be with us. One of my favorite comes from Psalm 91, which affirms that as we have chosen to walk under the “shelter of the Most High” or in the “shadow of the Almighty,” we can declare our spiritual security in the Lord with the psalmist who says, “my God, my refuge, and my fortress, my God in whom trust.” The psalm is careful not to deny that there could be some challenges along the journey, but also asserts that we can hold on to the certainty that God will deliver, defend, and protect us; be our “shield and defense”; guard all our ways; facilitate our progress; and sustain us in our Christian walk.
So friends, I am thankful that we are on this journey together with our Lord. Let us secure ourselves in God’s grace. Let us serve, thrive, and relish in the goodness of the Lord, working in and through us, conquering the twists and turns of life, and straightening and smoothing the way for our God to reign in the world and establish the kingdom forever!
With these goals, assurances, and hope, what a glorious journey it will be indeed! May we have a fruitful, productive, and blessed year ahead!
Grace and peace,
Marcus